the conflict-第50部分

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Jane　gave　the　freest　and　heartiest　laugh　that　had　passed　her　lips　in　more　than　a　year。　　It　was　thus　free　and　unrestrained　because　he　had　not　said　what　she　was　fearing　he　would　sayhad　not　suggested　the　woman　nearest　him；　the　obvious　woman。　　So　eager　was　she　to　discover　what　he　thought　of　Selma；　that　she　could　hardly　restrain　herself　from　suggesting　her。　　Before　they　could　say　anything　more；　two　men　came　to　talk　with　him。　　Jane　could　not　but　leave。

She　dined　that　night　at　Mrs。　Sherlock'sMrs。　Sherlock　was　Davy's　oldest　sister。　　Davy　took　her　in；　they　talkedabout　his　careerthrough　dinner；　and　he　walked　home　with　her　in　the　moonlight。　　He　was　full　of　his　approaching　nomination。　　He　had　been　making　what　is　known　as　a　good　record；　as　mayor。　　That　is；　he　had　struck　out　boldly　at　sundry　petty　abuses　practised　by　a　low　and　comparatively　uninfluential　class　of　exploiters　of　the　people。　　He　had　been　so　busy　with　these　showy　trifles　that　there　had　been　no　time　for　the　large　abuses。　　True；　he　had　publicly　warned　the　gas　company　about　its　poor　gas；　and　the　water　company　about　its　unwholesome　water　for　the　low…lying　tenement　districts；　and　the　traction　company　about　the　fewness　and　filthiness　of　its　cars。　　The　gas　company　had　talked　of　putting　in　improved　machinery；　the　water　company　had　invited　estimates　on　a　filtration　plant；　the　traction　company　had　said　a　vague　something　about　new　cars　as　soon　as　car　manufacturers　could　make　definite　promises　as　to　delivery。　　But　nothing　had　been　doneas　yet。　　Obviously　a　corporation；　a　large　investment　of　capital；　must　be　treated　with　consideration。　　It　would　not　do　for　a　conservative；　fair　minded　mayor　to　rush　into　demagogery。　　So；　Davy　was　content　to　point　proudly　to　his　record　of　having　‘‘made　the　big　corporations　awaken　to　a　sense　of　their　duty。''　　An　excellent　record；　as　good　as　a　reform　politician；　with　a　larger　career　in　prospect；　could　be　expected　to　make。　　People　spoke　well　of　Mayor　Hull　and　the　three　daily　papers　eulogized　him。　　Davy　no　longer　had　qualms　of　conscience。　　He　read　the　eulogies；　he　listened　to　the　flatteries　of　the　conservative　leading　citizens　he　met　at　the　Lincoln　and　at　the　University；　and　he　felt　that　he　was　all　that　he　in　young　enthusiasm　had　set　out　to　be。

When　he　went　to　other　cities　and　towns　and　to　county　fairs　to　make　addresses　he　was　introduced　as　the　man　who　had　redeemed　Remsen　City；　as　a　shining　example　of　the　honest　SANE　man　in　politics；　as　a　man　the　bosses　were　afraid　of；　yet　dared　not　try　to　down。　　‘‘You　can't　fool　the　people。''　　And　were　not　the　people；　notably　those　who　didn't　live　in　Remsen　City　and　had　only　read　in　their　newspapers　about　the　reform　Republican　mayor　weren't　they　clamorous　for　Mayor　Hull　for　governor！　　Thus；　Davy　was　high　in　his　own　esteem；　was　in　that　mood　of　profound　responsibility　to　righteousness　and　to　the　people　wherein　a　man　can　get　the　enthusiastic　endorsement　of　his　conscience　for　any　act　he　deems　it　expedient　to　commit　in　safeguarding　and　advancing　his　career。　　His　person　had　become　valuable　to　his　country。　　His　opponents　were　therefore　anathema　maranatha。

As　he　and　Jane　walked　side　by　side　in　the　tender　moonlight；　Jane　said：

‘‘What's　become　of　Selma　Gordon？''

A　painful　pause；　then　Davy；　in　a　tone　that　secretly　amused　Jane：　　‘‘Selma？　　I　see　her　occasionallyat　a　distance。　　She　still　writes　for　Victor　Dorn's　sheet；　I　believe。　　I　never　see　it。''

Jane　felt　she　could　easily　guess　why。　　‘‘Yesit　is　irritating　to　read　criticisms　of　oneself；''　said　she　sweetly。　　Davy's　self…complacence　had　been　most　trying　to　her　nerves。

Another　long　silence；　then　he　said：　　‘‘AboutMiss　Gordon。　　I　suppose　you　were　thinking　of　the　things　I　confided　to　you　last　year？''

‘‘Yes；　I　was；''　confessed　Jane。

‘‘That's　all　over；''　said　Mayor　and　prospective　Governor　Hull。　　‘‘I　found　I　was　mistaken　in　her。''

‘‘Didn't　you　tell　me　that　she　refused　you？''　pressed　Jane；　most　unkindly。

‘‘We　met　again　after　that；''　said　Davyby　way　of　proving　that　even　the　most　devoted　apostle　of　civic　righteousness　is　yet　not　without　his　share　of　the　common　humanity；　‘‘and　from　that　time　I　felt　differently　toward　her。　。　。　。　　I've　never　been　able　to　understand　my　folly。　。　。　。　　I　wonder　if　you　could　forgive　me　for　it？''

Davy　was　a　good　deal　of　a　bore；　she　felt。　　At　least；　he　seemed　so　in　this　first　renewing　of　old　acquaintance。　　But　he　was　a　man　of　purpose；　a　man　who　was　doing　much　and　would　do　more。　　And　she　liked　him；　and　had　for　him　that　feeling　of　sympathy　and　comprehension　which　exists　among　people　of　the　same　region；　brought　up　in　much　the　same　way。　　Instead　of　cutting　him　off；　she　temporized。　　Said　she　with　a　serenely　careless　laugh　that　might　have　let　a　man　more　expert　in　the　ways　of　women　into　the　secret　of　how　little　she　cared　about　him：　　‘‘You　mean　forgive　you　for　dropping　me　so　abruptly　and　running　after　her？''

‘‘That's　not　exactly　the　way　to　put　it；''　objected　he。

‘‘Put　it　any　way　you　like；''　said　Jane。　　‘‘I　forgive　you。　　I　didn't　care　at　the　time；　and　I　don't　care　now。''

Jane　was　looking　entrancing　in　that　delicate　light。　　Davy　was　notingwas　feelingthis。　　Also；　he　was　reflectingin　a　high…minded　wayupon　the　many　material；　mental　and　spiritual　advantages　of　a　marriage　with　her。　　Just　the　woman　to　be　a　governor's　wife　a　senator's　wifea　president's　wife。　　Said　he：

‘‘Jane；　my　feeling　for　you　has　never　changed。''

‘‘Really？''　said　Jane。　　‘‘Why；　I　thought　you　told　me　at　one　time　that　you　were　in　love　with　me？''

‘‘And　I　always　have　been；　dearand　am；''　said　Davy；　in　his　deepest；　tenderest　tones。　　‘‘And　now　that　I　am　winning　a　position　worthy　of　you''

‘‘I'll　see；''　cut　in　Jane。　　‘‘Let's　not　talk　about　it　tonight。''　　She　felt　that　if　he　kept　on　she　might　yield　to　the　temptation　to　say　something　mocking；　something　she　would　regret　if　it　drove　him　away　finally。

He　was　content。　　The　ice　had　been　broken。　　The　Selma　Gordon　business　had　been　disposed　of。　　The　way　was　clear　for　straight…away　love…making　the　next　time　they　met。　　Meanwhile　he　would　think　about　her；　would　get　steam　up；　would　have　his　heart　blazing　and　his　words　and　phrases　all　in　readiness。


Every　human　being　has　his　or　her　fundamental　vanity　that　must　be　kept　alive；　if　life　is　to　be　or　to　seem　to　be　worth　living。　　In　man　this　vanity　is　usually　some　form　of　belief　in　his　mental　ability；　in　woman　some　form　of　belief　in　her　physical　charm。　　Fortunately　or；　rather；　necessarilynot　much　is　required　to　keep　this　vanity　aliveor　to　restore　it　after　a　shock；　however　severe。　　Victor　Dorn　had　been　compelled　to　give　Jane　Hastings'　vanity　no　slight　shock。　　But　it　recovered　at　once。　　Jane　saw　that　his　failure　to　yield　was　due　not　to　lack　of　potency　in　her　charms；　but　to　extraordinary　strength　of　purpose　in　his　character。　　Thus；　not　only　was　she　able　to　save　herself　from　any　sense　of　humiliation；　but　also　she　was　without　any　feeling　of　resentment　against　him。　　She　liked　him　and　admired　him　more　than　ever。　　She　saw　his　point　of　view；　she　admitted　that　he　was　rightIF　it　were　granted　that　a　life　such　as　he　had　mapped　for　himself　was　better　for　him　than　the　career　he　could　have　made　with　her　help。

Her　heart；　however；　was　hastily；　even　rudely　thrust　to　the　background　when　she　discovered　that　her　brother　had　been　gambling　in　wheat　with　practically　her　entire　fortune。　　With　an　adroitness　that　irritated　her　against　herself；　as　she　looked　back；　he　had　continued　to　induce　her　to　disregard　their　father's　cautionings　and　to　ask　him　to　take　full　charge　of　her　affairs。　　He　had　not　lost　her　fortune；　but　he　had　almost　lost　it。　　But　for　an　accidental　stroke；　a　week　of　weather　destructive　to　crops　all　over　the　country；　she　would　have　been　reduced　to　an　income　of　not　more　than　ten　or　fifteen　thousand　a　yeartwenty　times　the　income　of　the　average　American　family　of　five；　but　for　Miss　Hastings　straitened　subsistence　and　a　miserable　state　of　shornness　of　all　the　radiance　of　life。　　And；　pushing　her　inquiries　a　little　farther；　she　learned　that　her　brother　would　still　have　been　rich；　because　he　had　taken　care　to　settle　a　large　sum　on　his　wifein　such　a　way　that　if　she　divorced　him　it　would　pass　back　to　him。

In　the　course　of　her　arrangings　to　meet　this　situation　and　to　prevent　its　recurrence　she　saw　much　of　Doctor　Charlton。　　He　gave　her　excellent　advice　and　found　for　her　a　man　to　take　charge　of　her　affairs　so　far　as　it　was　wise　for　her　to　trust　any　one。　　The　man　was　a　bank　cashier；　Robert　Headley　by　nameone　of　those　rare　beings　who　care　nothing　for　riches　for　themselves　and　cannot　invest　their　own　money　wisely；　but　have　a　genius　for　fidelity　and　wise　counsel。

‘‘It's　a　pity　he's　married；''　said　Charlton。　　‘‘If　he　weren't　I'd　urge　you　to　take　him　as　a　husband。''

Jane　laughed。　　A　plainer；　duller　man　than　Headley　it　would　have　been　hard　to　find；　even　among　the　respectabilities　of　Remsen　City。

‘‘Why　do　you　laugh？''　said　Charlton。　　‘‘What　is　there　absurd　in　a　sensible　marriage？''

‘‘Would　you　marry　a　woman　because　she　was　a　good　housekeeper？''

‘‘That　would　be　one　of　the　requirements；''　said　Charlton。　　‘‘I've　sense　enough　to　know　that；　no　matter　how　much　I　liked　a　woman　before　marriage；　it　couldn't　last　long　if　she　were　incompetent。　　She'd　irritate　me　every　moment　in　the　day。　　I'd　lie　awake　of　nights　despising　her。　　And　how　she　would　hate　me！''

‘‘I　can't　imagine　you　a　husband；''　laughed　Jane。

‘‘That　doesn't　speak　well　for　your　imagination；'　rejoined　Charlton。　　‘‘I　have　perfect　healthwhich　means　that　I　have　a　perfect　disposition；　for　only　people　with　deranged　interiors　are　sour　and　snappy　and　moody。　　And　I　am　sympathetic　and　understanding。　　I　appreciate　that　women　are　rottenly　brought　up　and　have　everything　to　learneverything　that's　worth　while　if　one　is　to　live　comfortably　and　growingly。　　So；　I　shouldn't　expect　much　at　the　outset　beyond　a　desire　to　improve　and　a　capacity　to　improve。　　Yes；　I've　about　all　the　virtues　for　a　model　husbanda　companionable；　helpful　mate　for　a　woman　who　wants　to　be　more　of　a　person　every　day　she　lives。''

‘‘No；　thanks；''　said　Jane；　mockingly。　　‘‘The　advertisement　reads　well；　but　I　don't　care　to　invest。''

‘‘Oh；　I　looked　you　over　long　ago；''　said　Charlton　with　a　coolness　that　both　amused　and　exasperated　her。　　‘‘You　wouldn't　do　at　all。　　You　are　very　attractive　to　look　at　and　to　talk　with。